November 12, 2024
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 12.11.2024, 14:00
VISIT – Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is paying an official visit to the UK on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he is expected to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and the Lord Mayor of London, Alastair King. According to a Government press release, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu will also attend the Romania-UK Economic Forum, and will meet with representatives of the Romanian community. “The government is interested in consolidating the Strategic Partnership with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in all fields of bilateral interest, responding to the changing challenges and opportunities. The Romanian community in the UK is big, and fostering the rights of our compatriots is a key pillar of bilateral cooperation”, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. This is the first visit of a Romanian Prime Minister to the UK in 17 years.
ELECTION – Some 200 postal votes for the parliamentary and presidential election in Romania have already arrived from Romanians living abroad and will be counted together with the other votes, the chairman of the Permanent Election Authority (AEP), Toni Greblă, has said. 6,650 citizens have demanded to vote by post and must send their options no later than two days before the start of the voting process proper. The first round of the presidential election is slated for November 24, the second round for December 8, while the parliamentary election will take place on December 1.
INFLATION – The annual inflation rate climbed in October to 4.67% from 4.62% in September, the National Statistics Institute reports. Foods prices went up by 4.75%, while prices for non-food products also increased by 3.45%. Services also went up 7.66%. The National Bank of Romania has upgraded its inflation estimate for the end of 2024, from 4% previously to 4.9%. The Bank expects the inflation rate to go down to 3.5% at the end of 2025, according to a report made public by Governor Mugur Isărescu this Monday. On the other hand, Romania’s trade deficit went up 15% in the first nine months of 2024, reaching some 23.5 bln EUR, the National Statistics Institute reports. Exports have exceeded 69 bln EUR, a 1.4% drop. Imports totaled nearly 93 bln EUR, accounting for a 2.3% increase.
GOTECH WORLD – Officials and representatives of the business sector are attending the opening of GoTech World 2024, an event hosted by Bucharest over November 12-13. This year’s edition of B2B Expo brings together over 120 experts from the sector and nearly 100 exhibitors. Organizers expect a turnover of some 15,000 guests. GoTech World (previously known as Internet & Mobile World) is the biggest conference and expo in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as a regional hub for digital economy, providing professionals from the region with access B2B tech solutions, insight into various digital fields and networking opportunities.
ENESCU – For the first time in the history of Romania, all four violins owned by composer George Enescu will be on the same stage in November 2024, as part of a national tour. The violins are currently in the collection of the “George Enescu” Museum in Bucharest and are classified as “national treasures”. The tour kicks off on November 12 at the Culture Palace in Iași (northeast). Gabriel Croitoru will be performing on the 1731 “Cathedral” Guarnieri del Gesù violin, Simina Croitoru on the 1931 Paul Klaul violin, Paul Răducanu on the 1930 Paul Klaul and Mircea Dumitrescu on the 1835 Frères Pierre and Hippolyte Silvestre. The tour will then travel to other cities across the country, before moving to Bologna (Italy). The four violins were donated to the Romanian state by George Enescu’s wife, Maria Cantacuzino-Enescu, upon the foundation of the Museum in 1956.
HEARING – The remaining six European Commissioners, designated for the positions of European Commission executive vice-presidents, including Romania’s nomination, Roxana Mînzatu, are today taking part in hearings before the European Parliament’s special committees. Designated European Commission Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness, will appear before the Committee for Labor and Social Affairs, and before the Committee on Culture and Education. According to Agerpres, Romanian MPs from various political groups say EU Commissioners will pass today’s hearings with little effort. (VP)
